


from night to morning

by mooniesqueakeroonie



Category: FFXIV, Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:35:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24278956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mooniesqueakeroonie/pseuds/mooniesqueakeroonie
Summary: The smallest thing can soothe a soul.
Relationships: estinien x shuri, estinien x wol
Kudos: 2
Collections: Hex's Self-Indulgent Stories





	from night to morning

She suffered from terrible nightmares for as long as they have been bonded. Mayhap many a time before. Yet it did not deter him from being her comfort.

It was why, in the still of the night where the only sound was the waves against the beach, Estinien cradled a shuddering Shuri close to his chest. Even for an average Xaela, she was so small and delicate in comparison to him. She had woken up, screaming and writhing, that it took nearly all of Estinien’s strength to capture Shuri’s flailing arms without harming her. Even now, it had taken some time for Estinien to soothe Shuri enough for her to cease her flailing and quiet her screams.

Estinien ran his left hand along Shuri’s arm, the fingers of his right hand tangled in the snow-white tresses of her hair. Shuri curled closer, as though trying to meld into him as she nuzzled her cheek against his chest. Her hand lay against his broad chest right as she exhaled a sigh. “I’m sorry, Estinien…I must have woken you,” she murmured softly, her voice slurred with sleep. 

The Elezen shook his head, pausing his actions for just a moment. “You worry far too much, Shuri,” he replied. “Do you wish to talk about it?”

Shuri was silent for a moment at his inquiry and Estinien could feel her curl more into him. “I keep seeing it…in pieces. Fragments of what I’ve gone through being Hydaelyn’s Chosen…” Her voice hitched and it was that sound alone that had Estinien gingerly easing himself upright, his fingers curling beneath Shuri’s chin to tilt her head upward so that their gazes could meet.

Those mismatched eyes that always shone with cheerfulness, of joy, were shimmering with unshed tears now. The delicate princess in his arm was always smiling, always laughing; it was rare for her to show signs of anger or distress and Estinien knew why. She kept her pain deep inside, locking it away in the recesses of her heart. 

He knew, more than anyone, that locking the pain away did not erase it. It did naught to assuage the memories attached. 

“I did not ask for this, Estinien.” The tears broke free, a steady river cascading down Shuri’s cheeks and it was just as well. Shuri was pacifistic at heart, she loathed violence; she endured witnessing nearly her entire tribe being subjugated by Garleans, bore witness to a dear friend sacrificing his life for her. The pain etched in her heart was something Estinien knew Shuri would be unable to endure on her own, not when she revisits those memories in her sleep.

“You needn’t suffer by yourself. You’ve said as much to me before, remember?” 

Estinien echoing Shuri’s words, said after he was freed of Nidhogg’s possession, caused her eyes to widen in shock. A faint smile touched the dragoon’s lips as he leaned in to press a kiss to the Auri maiden’s forehead, a display of affection shown when they were in their private world. 

Her trembling ceased for the moment as Shuri lifted a hand to press it against the side of Estinien’s face, her fingers brushing against the sharp curve of his cheek. Her own lips formed a ghost of a smile before Shuri rest her head against her lover’s chest. “Thank you, Estinien.”


End file.
